It had been a year.
A full, aching, hollow year since Nick disappeared from Arthur's life.
Arthur had searched tirelessly—through social media trails, whispered rumours, and even chasing fading leads across Bangkok and beyond. He had reached out to everyone who might know anything and exhausted every whisper Mia and Pim could find.
But Nick was gone.
No messages. No closure. Just an absence so loud it haunted Arthur's dreams.
Some nights he'd jolt awake, heart pounding, convinced he'd heard Nick's voice calling his name from the hallway. Other nights he lay in silence, staring at the ceiling, scrolling endlessly through old photos, hoping—just hoping—that Nick had left a clue behind, something, anything.
But there was nothing until Arthur realized something important.
Nick may have vanished—but he hadn't completely let go.
Because Nick would still follow his art page, maybe not directly, maybe under a different name, but Arthur felt it. That kind of connection didn't just break off, even with time and pain. Nick was watching him from afar.
And Arthur decided to use that.
He wasn't proud of it, but he was desperate, desperate to see Nick again, desperate for one more chance for them to make things right and rebuild their relationship again.
And that's when the idea came: if Nick was watching… maybe it was time to give him something to react to, "Jealousy."
Something that would trigger the one thing Arthur knew Nick couldn't ignore.
Arthur reached out to Ake.
They'd become close over the last few months. Ake was a senior in the business faculty—sharp, confident, and genuinely kind.
He'd shown up for Arthur when the world felt like it had collapsed. He met Arthur when he was searching for Nick at their university, and one thing led to another, and they became friends. Ake was never pushing too hard but was always nearby with a light joke or a warm drink. At first, Arthur thought Ake was just being friendly. But over time, the way Ake looked at him changed. And Arthur knew.
There were feelings there.
But Arthur couldn't return them. Not when his heart was still chained to a ghost. He was nonchalant about it
Still, Ake had never pushed. So when Arthur called him one evening with a serious tone in his voice, Ake came without hesitation.
They sat at a quiet café tucked behind campus. Rain drizzled outside the window.
"So," Ake said, stirring his coffee. "What's going on?"
Arthur hesitated, then said it all at once. "I want you to help me make someone jealous."
Ake blinked. "Excuse me?"
"It's… complicated," Arthur said. "The guy I told you about. Nick."
Ake's smile faded, replaced with a tight nod. "The ex." Not my ex, but my lover.
"He left without a word a year ago. I've looked everywhere. I thought maybe he was in Japan, but that turned out to be false. I've tried everything… except this."
Ake leaned back. "And you think jealousy will bring him out?"
"I know it will." Arthur's voice was steady, resolute. "Nick's not the type to let go easily. If he thinks I've moved on, he'll show himself. He won't be able to stay away." He will return
Ake raised a brow. "So what do you need me for?"
"I want us to pretend we're dating," Arthur said. "Just online, public post, a few pictures together, nothing too over-the-top—just enough to catch his eye."
Ake studied him. "So you want to use me to flush him out."
Arthur swallowed hard. "Yes. I'm sorry. I wouldn't ask if I had any other way."
To his surprise, Ake didn't look offended, just thoughtful.
"Okay."
Arthur blinked. "Really?"
Ake gave a crooked smile. "Let's be real, I was hoping you'd ask me out for real eventually. But if this is what you need—if it'll help you find him—then I'm in, but on one condition."
Arthur tensed. "What is it?"
"I get to post the first photo," Ake said with a wink. "And you have to smile in it too."
And so, it began.
The first post was a candid of them sharing a bubble tea on a campus bench. Ake had his arm casually thrown across the back of the seat. Arthur was laughing at something he didn't remember anymore. The caption read, "Some people just make the world brighter."
It wasn't long before the comments rolled in. Pim messaged Arthur with a flurry of emojis and three exclamation marks. Mia didn't say anything—but Arthur knew she noticed.
The photos continued, a hand on the shoulder here, a blurry story of them walking home after class. A night shot of them watching the city skyline from a rooftop bar, backlit by golden light.
And somewhere out there—Arthur was sure—Nick saw them.